Franchise Industry News & Announcements

LYNCHBURG, VA (May 6, 2013) – Bloop Frozen Yogurt will soon move two existing stores to new locations, expanding Bloop’s footprint across the Lynchburg region. These stores will remain locally owned and move into areas that today don’t offer a place for family and friends to congregate for yogurt.
Bloop’s flagship store, located in Wyndhurst and corporately owned and operated by the Lynchburg area founders, will be moving to a bigger location with higher traffic in the Cornerstone development on Greenview Drive off of Timberlake Road, where the Texas Inn located their second restaurant.
“We are extremely excited to be moving next to great places like the T-room and other local restaurants that Cornerstone has in the works,” says Josh Oppenheimer, co-founder of Bloop...

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (May 14, 2013) - Gray Plant Mooty is pleased to announce that John L. Krenn and Charles K. Maier have each been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA), an organization that recognizes the country's top trial attorneys.
Formerly known as the American Academy of Trial Counsel, the Litigation Counsel of America is a trial lawyer honorary society that includes for Fellowship less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. The LCA is an invitation-only honorary society dedicated to promoting superior advocacy, professionalism and ethical standards among trial lawyers. LCA Fellows are selected based on their legal excellence and accomplishments in litigation and superior ethical reputations...

May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // MENOMONEE FALLS, Wisconsin – Wisconsin-based Cousins Subs® has hired Jason Westhoff as chief financial officer for the corporation and its 140-store franchise system.
Westhoff was previously chief financial officer at Wisconsin Hospitality Group, a system of 40 Applebee’s and 80 Pizza Hut restaurants.“Jason’s skills and experience in finance and planning are vital to our vision of expansion,” said Christine Specht, president and chief operating officer of Cousins Subs. “We are proud to have him join our team.”
Westhoff was born and raised in Spencer, Iowa, and received a bachelor’s degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He and his wife, Jill, and children, Josie and Jackson, reside in Whitefish Bay...

A Florida waxing location is now providing students of all ages with new ways to save.
Boynton Beach, Florida (PRWEB) May 24, 2013 - European Wax Center Boynton Beach-Boynton Town Center has recently introduced its Student Wax Pass, making it now easier than ever for students that are looking for bikini waxing in Boynton Beach, Florida to receive their hair removal needs at a all-time low price.
With the Student Wax Pass, guests can receivehair removal in Boynton Beach, Florida at a record-breaking low rate. Students will receive a fourth complimentary waxing service with the purchase of three full-priced services. This offer is available for student of all ages with a valid Student I.D.
With the Student Wax Pass, European Wax Center Boynton Beach provides guests a 25% discount with the purchase of four waxing services...

SPOKANE, Wash. - May 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/  - Red Lion Hotels Corporation (NYSE: RLH) is pleased to announce the Red Lion Hotel Anaheim has earned the prestigious 2013 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel website. This is the third year in a row that TripAdvisor has recognized the Red Lion Hotel Anaheim. The announcement comes as the hotel is offering a special rate for TripAdvisor Appreciation Days.
"Each of our staff members has worked very hard to pay attention to our guests' needs," said Cindy Hooper , General Manager at Red Lion Hotel Anaheim. "We know a trip to Disneyland is a trip of a lifetime for so many of our guests. It is important that we do our part to help fulfill that dream."The hotel is offering a special rate of $59 for TripAdvisor Appreciation Days from May 27-31...

May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // Madison, AL – WIN Home Inspection announces it’s achievement of being ranked in the top 10 percent of all franchises [http://franchise.business-opportunities.biz/2011/11/03/maui-wowi-hawaiian-named-2011-military-friendly-franchise-by-g-i-jobs-magazine/] nationwide, and being named a 2013 [http://www.militaryfranchising.com/] Military Friendly Franchise® in both the general services and real estate listings by [http://www.gijobs.com/] G.I. Jobs Magazine for the second year. At WIN, Veterans represent 1/4 of their company’s franchisee base and they provide realistic opportunities for Vets to become successful business owners through the [http://www.winforamerica.com/] WIN for America program, in which veterans can qualify for Gold, Silver or Bronze level awards, allowing for 100%, 50% or 10% of their franchise fee to be waived...

May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // CORALVILLE, IA – Pancheros (www.pancheros.com), a fast casual Mexican restaurant known for serving tasty Mexican food, announces its “Bob Gone Wild” contest to mark the sixth anniversary of the franchise’s special burrito tool, Bob. To celebrate “Bob The Tool” and its penchant for producing delectable burritos, Pancheros will be hosting a photo challenge starting May 24th, giving fans a chance to win free burritos for a year and a shot at a hot air balloon ride.
Pancheros salutes Bob, whose claim-to-fame is mixing ingredients for a uniform taste in each bite, by holding a contest where diners take the unique utensil out of the kitchen and into the wild. Participants are encouraged to get imaginative and take Bob to places it otherwise would never see, like the beach or an iconic landmark...

Cortec Group (“Cortec”), a New York based private equity firm has announced that on May 22, 2013 its affiliate Cortec Group Fund V, L.P. (“Cortec Fund V”) has entered into an equity partnership with 101 Mobility, LLC (“101 Mobility” or the “Company”) and its affiliates. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
New York, New York (PRWEB) May 24, 2013 - Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, 101 Mobility® is a leading nationwide sales, installation and service provider of mobility and accessibility solutions for both consumer and commercial applications. The company’s core products include stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, vertical platform lifts, vehicle lifts for mobility devices, pool lifts, turning automotive seats, and residential elevators, among others...

Massachusetts Customer Given Free Car in Celebration of Milestone
May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // CARMEL, Ind. – J.D. Byrider, the country’s leading used car sales and finance enterprise, reached a major milestone this month, selling its one millionth vehicle. Katelyn Wilson of Natick, Mass., won a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon for being at the right place at the right time!
“I was in complete shock!” said Wilson, 20, who is employed at a child care center. “I didn’t believe it at first.” Wilson purchased the vehicle May 14; however, J.D. Byrider has paid off her contract and refunded her down payment, enabling her to have the car for free.
Dealership owner Lance Vachon was thrilled to sell the millionth vehicle and be able to give it to Wilson in celebration of the milestone...

Mayi de la Vega’s sale among highest ever recorded in Miami Beach
MIAMI - May 24, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Mayi de la Vega and Arlene Susy Dunand of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty ? South Florida’s fastest growing luxury real estate firm that dominates the ultra luxury home market ? today announced that they represented baseball icon Alex Rodriguez in the sale of his $30 million estate at 4358 North Bay Road in Miami Beach. The transaction closed on May 24, and was the highest sale price ever on the prestigious North Bay Road and one of the biggest sales on record in Miami Beach.
“The demand for trophy homes worldwide, especially those contemporary in design, has never been greater,” said de la Vega, CEO and Founder/Estate Agent of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, which has more than 300 agents across South Florida catering to the discerning needs of celebrities, CEOs and the international elite...

CPA Express Service Being Offered to CPAs and Accountants Who Wish to Expand their Business without the Cost
May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // Katy, TX. – BookKeeping Express, the first U.S. franchise focused solely on bookkeeping services, recently opened its first office in Katy, TX., serving businesses throughout Katy, Richmond and portions of Houston. Today, Director of Business Development, Byron Davenport, announced that area accountants and CPAs will be able to start taking advantage of an innovative ‘CPA Express Program’ so that they can get back to focusing on their core competencies; like analyzing numbers, growing their business, increasing client retention, and keeping clients compliant while offering a bookkeeping service that drives additional revenue...

May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // In the recently released 2013 edition of Chambers USA, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP is once again “Top Ranked” in its Ohio Labor & Employment practice, as are seven attorneys firmwide.
Top ranked Taft attorneys in Ohio include:

Kim K. Burke (Natural Resources & Environment)
G. Jack Donson, Jr. (Litigation: Antitrust)
Timothy J. Hurley (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
Timothy P. Reilly (Labor & Employment)

Top ranked Taft attorneys in Indiana include:

Frank J. Deveau (Environment)
Robert J. Hicks (Corporate/M&A)
James A. Strain (Corporate/M&A)

In total, Taft is recognized as a leading firm in 11 practice areas: Banking & Finance; Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Construction; Corporate/M&A; Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation; Healthcare; Intellectual Property; Labor & Employment (“Top Ranked” in Ohio); Litigation: General Commercial; Natural Resources & Environment; and Real Estate...

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wisconsin (May 22, 2013) – Cousins Subs® has hired John “JJ” Palmert as franchise sales manager. In his new role, Palmert will market new Cousins Subs store franchises to single- and multi-unit franchise operators. He will also recruit area developers, who will in turn recruit multiple franchise operators for new Cousins Subs markets.
“We are aggressively pursuing expansion,” said Joe Furguson, vice president of development for Cousins Subs. “We’re excited to have JJ help us pursue this objective.” Cousins Subs currently operates more than 140 franchised and corporate-owned stores in Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
Palmert previously operated JJ Palmert Outfitters, a hunting guide service that operates in south Texas...

Company Prepares for Continued Growth in 2013
May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // BRADENTON, Fla. – Award-winning Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch restaurant First Watch today announced the appointment of Kevin Hall as vice president of franchising, a new position for the company.
Hall is a First Watch veteran, having started with the company in 1992 as an assistant manager and working his way up to regional vice president and then vice president of brand standards in 2004. As vice president of franchising, Hall will be responsible for managing franchise expansion plans and assisting current franchise partners with development and operations.
The company’s aggressive growth strategy calls for more than 300 restaurants by 2017 with roughly one third of those being franchises...

DEERFIELD, Ill. - May 17, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - BAB, Inc. (OTCBB: BABB), announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly distribution of one cent ($0.01) per share, payable on July 2, 2013, to shareholders of record as of June 11, 2013.
The Company believes that, for tax purposes a portion of the distribution and any future distributions that the Board may declare in 2013 (collectively, the “Distributions”) may be treated as a return of capital to shareholders to the extent of each shareholder’s basis, while the remaining portion of the Distribution may be treated as a dividend.
The portion of the Distributions that will be treated as dividends will not be determined until after December 31, 2013, as that portion is dependent upon the Company’s earnings and profit for tax purposes for its fiscal year ending November 30, 2013, and the Company will not be able to definitively calculate its earnings and profits until after the end of the fiscal year...

2013 Military Friendly Franchises® List Developed by G.I. Jobs and Independently Tested by Ernst & Young
May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // JACKSONVILLE, FL - Ice House America, the pioneer in automated ice vending technology and their ice vending franchise, IceBorn, announces its ranking in the top 10 percent of all franchises nationwide and named a 2013 Military Friendly Franchise® by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs. Under the IceBorn brand, franchisees have access to three (3) bulk ice vending machine models – all are freestanding, 24/7, automated retail ice destinations offering bagged or straight-to-cooler ice that is filtered, clean and made on demand.
Ice House America honors military veterans by offering service members a discount through the International Franchise Association’s VetFran program...

May 24, 2013 // Franchising.com // MENOMONEE FALLS, Wisconsin – Wisconsin-based Cousins Subs® has promoted Justin McCoy to vice president of marketing for its 140-store franchise system.
He joined Cousins Subs in 2006 as an entry-level marketing specialist, and held several marketing positions before being named vice president. Previously he worked in public relations and media relations for the Milwaukee Bucks, as well as in finance.
“Justin’s marketing talents have been an essential part of our success,” said Christine Specht, president and chief operating officer of Cousins Subs. “I am proud to recognize his ability with this promotion.”
McCoy was born and raised in Shiocton, Wisconsin in north central Wisconsin...

Company's goal is to raise $50,000 for the USO; Papa John's Founder, John Schnatter, to host a pizza party celebration for 10,000 troops and their families at Charlotte Motor Speedway
LOUISVILLE, Ky.- May 24, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Pizza lovers throughout the country can join Papa John's in thanking the brave men and women of the US armed forces for their service through a special USO Meal Deal. Beginning today, customers can go to www.papajohns.com and use the promo code "USOMealDeal" to order two large, two-topping pizzas for $22, with $1 from every order going back to the USO. The offer is valid through Thursday, May 30.
"This is a great way for all of America to show its appreciation for the service of the brave men and women of the US military," said John Schnatter, Papa John's founder, chairman and CEO...

The Carter's bring their son into the business making it a 3rd generation business. Carter's My Plumber prepares the next generation to protect the health of the nation.
Indianapolis, Indiana (PRWEB) May 24, 2013 - Carter’s My Plumber is a local, family-owned, 3rd generation plumbing business located in Greenwood, Indiana, providing plumbing service to the Indianapolis, Greenwood, Whiteland, Franklin, Bargersville, Trafalgar, Mooresville, Wannamaker, Beech Grove and Southport areas. Carter’s My Plumber has a special menu of services designed to meet the needs of every homeowner to provide a complete solution to their home’s plumbing system. With over 30 years of plumbing experience, their trained plumbers meet the plumbing need of every residential and light commercial need...

Net Sales Up 7 Percent; Comparable Sales Up 2 Percent
SAN FRANCISCO - May 24, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) today reported that net sales for the first quarter, which ended May 4, 2013, increased 7 percent to $3.73 billion compared with $3.49 billion for the first quarter last year. Due to the 53rd week in fiscal year 2012, comparable sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2013 are compared with the 13-week period ended May 5, 2012. On this basis, the company’s first quarter comparable sales increased 2 percent compared with a 4 percent increase in the first quarter last year.
“We are pleased with our strong start to the year, especially first quarter sales,” said Glenn Murphy, chairman and chief executive officer of Gap Inc...